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Wednesday, 23 January 2008

The Tweety Effect

Fascinating post on Media Matters by Eric Boehlert about a new net created phenomenon - the Tweety Effect.

'Tweety' is US TV commentator, MSNBC's Chris Matthews.

The meme, which Boehlert examines in detail, is that the barrage of sexism directed at Hillary Clinton by Matthews and other TV pundits directly affected the New Hampshire result as women voted for Hillary and against the media.

Matthews has referred to Clinton as "She devil." He has repeatedly likened Clinton to "Nurse Ratched," referring to the scheming, manipulative character in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest who "asserts arbitrary control simply because she can." He has called her "Madame Defarge." And he has described male politicians who have endorsed Clinton as "castratos in the eunuch chorus."

Matthews has compared Clinton to a "strip-teaser" and questioned whether she is "a convincing mom." He refers to Clinton's "cold eyes" and the "cold look" she supposedly gives people; he says she speaks in a "scolding manner" and is "going to tell us what to do."